I like you more when you smile
by Wondders
Summary: Romance between Draco and Hermione. Rated M just in case. The war is over and the wizarding world is at peace again but with the loss of loved ones Hermione's seventh year at Hogwarts is going to be more than a challenge. Told from Hermione's POV.


All characters belong to J.K. I literally own nothing.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Mommy, can you tell me a story before I go to sleep?" Sophia, Hermione's five year old daughter, asked.

"Of course I can, sweetie. What kind of story do you want to hear? Action? Adventure? Romance?" Hermione said with a laugh.

"I want to know about how you and daddy fell in love."

"I don't think that we have enough time for that story. Maybe _The Tale of the Beetle and the Bard _would be alright for tonight?"

"No! I wanna hear about you and daddy!" Sophia said as she crossed her arms and started to pout. She's always known how to win her mother over. A good pout and puppy eyes always seems to work.

"Okay, okay, but you can't interrupt me. Okay?"

"Okay, mommy."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"Ah, Miss Granger!" Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, exclaimed as he bustled into his office. "It's wonderful to see you again! How are you?"

"I'm doing well professor. How are you?" I ask with a smile.

"I'm wonderful! Thank you for asking. I know that this summer was challenging for you. Are you sure that you're ready to be back?"

"Of course I'm ready to be back." I say with the biggest smile I can muster. There it is; the question I've been dreading. "How are you?" "Do you really want to be back here?" they're loaded question. I know why it's at the forefront of everyone's mind but that doesn't mean that I want to answer it. I've been through a lot over this past year. I fought in a war, I was tortured, and I lost my best friend/boyfriend/rock/supporter/lover. I lost myself after his death. I was spiraling out of control with no one to help pull me back up again. I didn't know where to go or what to do. I spent the entire summer trying to figure out who I was without him. One third of the golden trio just stopped existing. He was here one minute and gone the next. I was fighting right beside him and if he wouldn't have stepped in front of me I would be the one who died. I should be dead and he should still be here. He should be roaming these halls, playing Quidditch, gorging himself at the welcome feast. He shouldn't be six feet under, I should be. I'll never understand why he did what he did. All the books say it's because he loved me so much that he couldn't bear the thought of living without me; that he would rather die than see my light extinguish…I don't buy into that thinking. As much as I hate to say it I think that he did it because he wasn't sure we would win and he would rather die than loose. At that point in the battle we were losing and it was clear that we were. If it wouldn't have been for the information that Draco Malfoy told us we would have lost…

"Miss Granger," Professor Dumbledore said pulling me out of my thoughts, "if you need anything, anything at all, please let me know. While I'm excited to have you back at Hogwarts, and as Head Girl nonetheless, I can't help but be concerned. I do hope that you'll let me know if you need anything."

"Of course I will, Professor. I think that being back here is exactly what I need right now. This will be good for me, especially as I prepare for the N.E. ."

"At this point Miss Granger, I think that anyone would be willing to hire you. I assume that you know where you're going?"

I respond with a smile and a nod as I get up to leave. Getting to the Heads dorm room isn't difficult when you've already been there. Three or four turns, some stairs, simple. It feels good to walk around the castle again. It feels like home but everywhere I turn there's another reminder of Ron. The secret door to the kitchen, the bathroom that he and Harry saved me from our first year, the view of the Quidditch pitch out the window, the smell that is distinctly Hogwarts. All of it reminds me of him and of how I lost him. My vision blurs with tears as I continue to what will become my room when I run directly into Draco Malfoy.

"Jesus, Granger. Watch where you're going." He says harshly as he dusts himself off. Helping us win the war didn't soften his heart to me any. I've been having a hard time forgiving him too. I can't figure out how to separate him from his father. From the man who killed Ron. Lucius got his in the end, a lifetime in Azkaban. It still doesn't feel like justice. I suppose that I should just get over my hatred for Draco especially considering how we'll be working together all year. Draco Malfoy, Head Boy. After all he did for us, all the spying, information, and double crossing Voldemort to prove his loyalty, he deserves the title and everything that comes with it. I may hate him, but no one could deny that he was an integral part of us winning the war.

"Sorry, Malfoy," I say looking up at him through tears, "I really should pay attention to where I'm going."

He scoffs and strolls off, his hands in his pockets. He really is an insufferable git. I continue my journey to the Heads dorms. I have a feeling that working with his is going to be both the best and the worst thing for me right now. It will give me an opportunity to work through some healing that needs to happen, but it will also give my hatred an opportunity to grow. I guess that time will only tell what will happen.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The sorting ceremony and welcome feast. Ron's favorite event of the year, besides the Quidditch cup of course, and he's not here to enjoy it. The thought brings tears to my eyes. I've been crying too much I really should stop, Ron hated when I cried because he never knew how to comfort me. I'll admit that I'm hard to comfort. I don't like to have people see me cry so I usually end up going off by myself to cry all alone. Ron hated when I did that because all he wanted to do was hold me and make it all better. Now he can't do that. I need to stop thinking about this.

"Congratulations to all of the new students, I hope that your house will become like your families as you journey through your time at Hogwarts!" Professor Dumbledore's voice boomed over the now quiet students and faculty gathered in the Great Hall. "Before we begin I would like to say a few things. The first is to extend a warm welcome to all the new faculty and staff!" he paused to let the students clap, "the next is to introduce you to our new Head Boy and Girl, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger," he let the students clap again, "the last thing that I would like to say is, I know that we have all been through some stressful and strenuous times recently. I would like to thank each of you who battled so bravely for what you believe in. I couldn't have wished for better students and friends. Thank you to all who supported our war efforts for the war would have been lost without you. Lastly, with this war now behind us I ask that we forget the past and look to the future! Our society cannot and will not last without each and every one of you. You are our future, take care of yourselves and each other. Now, with all my talking done we can proceed to what you all have been waiting for, let us feast!" he ended with a flourish as the tables became suddenly full of food.

I can't stand the polite conversation being made and the concerned glances being thrown my way. I pick at and nibble on my food. I don't even remember the last time I had a real appetite or the last time I ate more than a few bites of food. I make small talk with some of the younger Gryffindor's. I answer with "I promise, I'm fine." To all the people who ask about how I'm doing. I don't think that I can do this for the rest of the year. I can't deal with all of this, all the questioning, all the staring, all the pitting looks, I just can't do it. I get up to leave and head to the one place where I know I'll be comforted; the library. My favorite spot in the entire castle. Quiet and peaceful and full of smells that put a smile on my face. Madam Pince was at the feast but as Head Girl I have access to places like the library all the time. I take a deep breath as I enter my personal sanctuary and slowly exhale a smile playing at my lips. I make my way to my favorite section, the "muggle authors" section and pick up J.R.R Tolkien's _The Fellowship of the Ring. _I smile as I open what is one of my favorite books. I was overjoyed when we finally got it here my second year. I couldn't wait to have Ron and Harry read it…I doubt that either of them did. Harry told me that he wasn't planning on ever coming back to Hogwarts, he said that there were too many memories and he would rather just start his career as an Auror. We still write but it hasn't been the same since Ron died. I write a note to Madam Pince and take the book with me to my room. When I enter I notice a covered plate on my desk and walk over to uncover it.

"I noticed that you didn't eat much at the Welcome Feast and that you left before dessert so I brought some food home for you. I figured that you couldn't deal with all the questions." Draco says from his desk across the room.

"That was really sweet of you to do." I respond looking at him. Our eyes meet.

"It wasn't really a problem. People keep on asking me about my father so I ate here too." He says dropping his gaze. "I'm going to go to my room," he says as he quickly gets up and collects his things. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nod and he walks up the stairs that lead to his bedroom. He grabbed my favorite dessert. I wonder if that was a coincidence. Maybe it's his favorite too? Too many questions for me to think about right now. I eat my dessert and leave the rest of my food untouched. I cover the plate back up knowing that the houselves will take care of it. I sigh as I trek upstairs to my bedroom. Draco Malfoy was actually nice to me. And he had noticed that I hadn't eaten much. And he brought me my favorite dessert. How odd. Maybe he's nicer than I give him credit for. Maybe we'll become friends. I smile at the thought of having a friend here. A friend who understands what it means to loose someone. Classes don't start for a few days, that's a few days that I can spend in my room by myself. I smile at the thought as I curl up in my armchair with my book. Before I realize it I'm on page 294 and it's significantly past my bed time. I quickly change into my pajamas and have the first restful night sleep I've had in a long time.

A/N: Please review!


End file.
